


The tree without ornaments

by Sasuke42



Category: Naruto
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Tree, F/M, Naruto is Just Naruto, Parent Hatake Kakashi, Protective Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke Has Issues, Uchiha Sasuke Needs a Hug, Uchiha Sasuke-centric, Uzumaki Naruto is a Good Friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:42:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27817000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sasuke42/pseuds/Sasuke42
Summary: After the war, the classic 7 team gathers at the Uchiha's house to celebrate Christmas together.Not knowing what to expect, they ended up being surprised when they arrived and found only a tree without ornaments and a note written in a hurry: “I'll be back soon.”...Why Christmas is the best, worst and most painful time for Sasuke Uchiha.
Relationships: Dai-nana-han | Team 7 & Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi & Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi & Uchiha Sasuke
Kudos: 45





	The tree without ornaments

Konoha glowed at a slow pace. The flashers tied to the windows brought a simplicity that had not been felt for a long time. Children ran in the streets, carrying small packages of sweets. Adults wore simple smiles facing a future that was forming in front of them. The elders breathed the air of a peace they had longed for.

The war was over and it was Christmas. Everything was peaceful and serene. Terrible memories that covered the streets were replaced by a new form of joy and hope. Everything was gradually returning to normal. And, perhaps, in time, they could hide that nothing bad happened. Perhaps they could see life in what had been a sea of blood.

Except at the Uchiha residence.

The house was unadorned and could easily be said to be abandoned. Her resident, Sasuke, rarely left the house and, when he did, returned only six months later. The Uchiha was lonely and after returning from his journey of redemption, he had completely transformed himself. He almost never spoke to anyone and avoided mutually or unknown places, especially in Konoha.

Because of this, his old team had the brilliant idea of celebrating Christmas at his home, since they hadn't done it since the end of the war. Naruto had realized that it would be a bad idea as soon as he arrived and found the house locked, with Sakura lying on the small stairs, making a move to accompany her in the waiting.

"What happened, Sakura-chan?"

"He disappeared and only Kakashi has the key..." She replied, putting an arm around her forehead.

None of them said anything, choosing to remain silent, each wondering the various possibilities that could have made Sasuke disappear. Which, considering his past, were many. Naruto gave a heavy sigh, sitting next to Sakura, trying not to think too much about possibilities for something bad to have happened.

It turns out that, after the war, Sasuke had no more goals. As Kakashi had said, a deep emptiness covered him with memories that he couldn't replace. No one had realized that there was anything wrong until his return from the journey of redemption. The Uchiha spent more than three weeks without leaving home, only surviving on the food that Naruto brought.

He had lost his purpose, and in that moment, all the mistakes he had made were destroying his soul. As soon as his friends realized, none knew how to cope and, which was not the first time, he was unable to ask for help. So each decided to act as naturally as possible. Sakura continued to get his attention, Naruto kept his irritating way and Kakashi continued to watch him from a distance.

Only that time, a piece of his spirit allowed them to enter his chest. For the first time, he didn't know how to react. And suddenly, he realized that he just needed to accept what was happening. This allowed him to smile and let them celebrate Christmas at his home, even if he was minimally obliged to do so.

But he was gone.

"Let's break down the door, dattebayo!" Suggested Naruto, jumping up.

Sakura stared at him, before contracting her face and, in a quick movement, stood up with her fists.

“No, idiot! We would have to pay later! ” Sakura shouted, punching Naruto in the face.

“Ouch, Sakura-chan! That hurts!"

For a few seconds, the two looked at each other. There was nothing that could be done and they had no idea what could have happened. A wave of concern flooded their minds and the thoughts that were existing, completely controlled them.

"What if he died ?!" Naruto suggested, running a hand over the back of his neck.

"He did not die!"

"And that time we found him passed out in the hotel room ?!" He recalled the boy, giving his friend a look of despair.

"Shit!"

Sakura gathered chakra in one of her hands and struck the wooden door, knocking everything into pieces. Soon, the two had the vision of a dimly lit room and several old boxes scattered around the house, looking like someone had just moved in. A small Christmas tree was in the center, lying on the ground with most of its leaves around it, giving the impression that someone had pulled them out.

Naruto and Sakura froze, staring at what looked like a crime scene. Neither knew what to think, other than the protective instinct to invade the site to seek information. But none did. Again, they thought of several positive possibilities that could have happened, only receiving even more doubts as an answer.

"What happened?" Asked Naruto, taking a small step into the residence.

"It looks like a hurricane broke into his house." Sakura commented, accompanying him.

"Sakura-chan, what if he was kidnapped and ...?"

"Idiot! He's very powerful! He wouldn't have been kidnapped so stupidly! ” The girl pushed him again, trying to take her worry away.

Naruto looked around for any clues to explain his best friend's disappearance. Sasuke was known for being well groomed, hardly anyone would imagine that this would be his home. Sakura held her breath as she tried to forget what had happened at the hotel. She didn't need to remember the past. Not at a time like that.

"But... Why is everything so messed up...?" He asked, showing a simple concern in his voice. "Look, he just left the tree taken apart ..."

"I don't know..." muttered Sakura, looking at nothing.

The two exchanged sighs, realizing each other's thoughts. Anyone who saw that scene would easily believe that all that despair was without reason. Or, perhaps, that there was no sense for so much commotion. However, all judgments were meaningless, especially when they just got in the way. Especially when they just kept calling someone desperate selfish.

"You know, I had the key."

A man with a tired look was standing right behind him, holding a small key in one hand, while giving a small smile behind the mask. Both Naruto and Sakura were surprised by his sudden appearance, taking a small step back. Until he wasn't that late.

"Kakashi sensei!"

"Yo!" He greeted, raising a hand.

"We... We arrived and found everything like this!"

Kakashi took a small look inside the house. He knew it wasn't a good sign, even though he already expected something to get out of hand. But he couldn't deny that he was surprised by the apparent disappearance of his former student, after all, he had thought that Sasuke had already left the phase of fleeing the village.

"Interesting ..." he murmured, placing one hand on his chin and looking around.

"Which is?!" Shouted Naruto jumping on his shoulder.

"I have no idea..."

Sakura gave a heavy sigh, trying to control herself. He knew that the two would spend time trying to formulate theories to justify the Uchiha's disappearance, but she wasn't like that. Her desperation to know what would have happened, slightly out of control in his mind, even if it did not make his actions irrational.

She began to look at the fallen Christmas tree near the coffee table. She looked for clues that led to where she wanted, but nothing seemed to make sense. She looked for some kind of sign of a struggle, concluding that Sasuke had spontaneously left. But still, her protective thinking said there was something wrong. Her eyes traveled around the small room, until ...

Bingo!

"Hey! There's a piece of paper here! ” She exclaimed, holding up the small piece of paper.

Immediately, Naruto ran to his side. Making some exaggerated and awkward jumps, trying to put a dramatic air on the situation. Kakashi remained in the same place, just raising his head slightly, giving a measly sign of curiosity.

"What it says?!" Shouted Naruto.

Sakura slowly opened the small paper in her hands, with a delicacy that was impressive that she had and murmured calmly:

"'I'll be back soon.'"

...

Sasuke was 7 years old and Christmas was his favorite time. He couldn't explain why. The flashing lights chasing his smile made him feel invincible. His joy that sang in every room of the house, while looking for his mother. He didn't remember much, maybe he didn't even want to, but he knew it had been a long time. A time that would always be kept in your chest.

"Hey, do you want to help me set up the tree?" Asked his brother, knocking carefully on his door.

"Seriously?! Yes!" Exclaimed the child as she ran after him.

Itachi was always there for Christmas. It was one of the only times he paid full attention to the most. He imagined that his brother used that time of year to keep close to the family. And Sasuke couldn't be happier, since the oldest was always busy and almost never had time for him.

"Hey, do you know why we set up trees, little brother?" Said his brother in an attempt to start a dialogue.

Sasuke didn't know that Itachi was so listless. His sad smiles were just smiles in a child's innocent eyes. His eyes, which carried the weight of a village on his back, were just the eyes of a tired older brother after returning from a mission. His mind seemed to hold something wise that the youngest would never be able to understand. Something he would never be able to open. For some reason, I was grateful for that.

"Why?!"

Itachi sighed, looking up in a theater of confusion. Sasuke stood up to approach his legs in order to lie on them. His brother just left, putting one of his arms over his head, awkwardly, making it clear how complicated it was for him to show any physical affection.

"Well ... It was a long, long time ago ... There was a little boy."

"Like me?!"

A smile.

"Yeah, I think like you."

Everything was simple. There were no wars, there was no blood. That boy who protected him was his older brother, a ninja who in his eyes was the strongest of all time. And for Itachi, that fragile piece of the world, it was the only lighted path in his dark life. He was happy to see his innocence. And he would protect her. I was sure of it. (He was a fool.)

"The little boy was very taken and one day, during Christmas, he ended up getting lost in a forest ..."

"He'll be fine?!"

Itachi watched his brother. Of course the little boy would be fine. All the stories he told had happy endings. Sasuke was a fool. Sasuke was a fool, because he had never realized that. He so wanted his life to be beautiful. He wished so much that he didn't have to fight. He so wanted everything to be as simple as in history. It turns out that Itachi was also innocent, because, for a few years, he really believed that he could make his brother happy.

“He was very smart. So, he took several fruits and tied them to the branches of the tallest tree, to call some animal. ”

"How did they not fall ?!"

"Does not matter..."

As in all stories, he needed darkness. He needed to show that the world would hurt him. It was necessary, wasn't it? Of course it was. He needed to show that nothing would be like in dreams. Life would give you nightmares. I would give you wishes that I couldn't understand. It was part of living in the world.

"What happened?!"

"Nobody saved the little boy... He was alone in the dark."

Sasuke flinched and Itachi realized he was scaring his brother with his cold gaze. He tried to stop, but nothing worked. A battlefield was dark. Blood ran down the bodies. Children like the one he held saw things that would never leave their souls. It wasn't necessary, but it happened. The world was cruel to those who expected it most. Itachi had lost his soul, he did not want the one he loved to go through this. His hands would shine with his family's blood.

"No!"

"But then, a star in the sky felt sorry for the boy and gave him a handful of light."

"What did he do?!"

"He took the light and put it on top of the tree."

A momentary relief washed over the room. Itachi took Sasuke from his lap, taking the small star ornament he had kept and handing it to the youngest. Her brother smiled, something in his chest bubbled with a happiness he almost never felt. A peace, in the middle of the war that was his mind, took care of him in the times that he most

"And then, one of the crows found him and took him home."

"And was he happy ?!"

"Yes ... Crows always take us back to our family, remember that, little brother."

Itachi raised his brother to the top of the small Christmas tree, allowing the youngest to place the star. Sasuke laughed out loud as he wrapped his arms around the older man. Safety. He was in need of that. His chest tightened, wishing that moment could last forever.

It turns out that everything ends.

It had been the last time he held a star.

...

He was 12 and Christmas was the worst time he could ever live. Sasuke lived in a dark house, kept by memories too happy to be able to pass through his eyes. On any other day, he would have just woken up and gone to the training ground to drown his nightmares in some tree trunk. But it was Christmas, it made it impossible to get out of bed.

Itachi would have called him a fool.

Your mother would help you.

Was he alone. He was alone and surrounded by demons that he couldn't see. It was another year, just another year in which he would be unable to get up and move on from the sea of blood that surrounded him.

(Hold on to your miserable life.)

There was no life. Everyone was dead and there was no point in continuing that way. There was no point in celebrating something that would take him home. He needed that. He needed the pain. He needed to remember how happy he was, to destroy his soul in the future. Your brother was to blame. Itachi was the one who had taken him there. He would not touch the light, knowing that he would call him.

A killer.

He was his brother.

Someone who had killed his parents.

Someone who had stolen his star.

(Kill me.)

He was 12 years old and, for the first time, passed out alone, with a tree without any ornament in his arms, while calling someone who would never return home.

Revenge lifted him up and destroyed him.

...

Sasuke was in the forest, holding a small flashlight. His eyes traveled through the trees. The moon stood out in the dark sky and, with no sign of light, he collapsed. He missed it. I missed the moments when I could be happy. He missed the little memories that hurt him so much. I missed it so much that I didn't even know how to explain it.

He missed his mother. I wish I could see you again, just once before I left. He was afraid that one day he would forget his smile. He was afraid of one night, being unable to have one last thought with her hugging him and giving him a kiss. He missed him because, when he was young, he used his loss as a way to get up. But at Christmas, it was his emptiness that tormented him.

He wanted to get everything back. He wanted his brother by his side. The feeling of security that I had lost over time. He wanted to be afraid of the dark again. Enjoy the banalities of life and face the world with the eyes of a child. He begged to get his innocence back and the eyes of someone who never had to be forced to see blood. He wanted the past, not the future.

But I couldn't. He was moving on. He was setting up the tree that his brother taught him and he knew that in the end, no one could save him. He knew that in the end, Itachi would be wrong and he would be disappointed. Everything that happened, everything you did, would take you into a bubble of hurt and despair. And he would remain there, standing firm, with no one to pick him up.

Sasuke got lost in many ways. Paths that only he was able to see. He got lost and often just kept walking. His mind trapped him in memories, his actions turned him into a murderer. When it got dark, he thought he was unable to distinguish what he was doing from what he had done. He was still someone bad. He knew that. He was sure he knew.

Until, they forgave him. And he saw himself differently. He did not see himself in the eyes of his father, or his mother, let alone his brother. He saw himself as he was. A human being. And it hurt him even more than any prison could do. This made him see his star in the dark. It allowed him to hear the cry of a crow that tried to protect him, but failed. The rustle of leaves that have always scratched it, but warmed it in the winter. The smile that he always feared to end, but that would save him from his demons.

Sasuke was alone. He had chosen that, right? He had chosen never to tie the fruit to the branches. He had chosen never to seek light and call for help. He had wished he would never be able to climb the tree. He was a small little boy, lost in the middle of a world, with no way to be found. He was afraid and could not scream. He was scared and away from home. His parents were gone and, all his security, disappeared with the illusion that killed him.

What was wrong with his eyes?

He looked for the tallest tree in the forest. He climbed on its branches, while humming one of the songs his mother played at Christmas. He grabbed his father's backpack, taking care not to over-tighten his heart. He saw with his brother's eyes, a sky that opened in front of him. He took in life, the warm air that only the present could give him.

Sasuke continued to breathe.

He looked at the stars that blinked in the clouds trying to look for shapes in their points. Everything was ready. It needed to be done.

He opened his backpack and took out the small colored glass balls. He saw the reflection of a monster in one of their homes, before blinking and finding a child smiling while his older brother told a story. He missed that innocence. The world had changed so fast that he didn't even have time to say how much he missed it.

He took nylon threads and tied the balls on each branch. He was careful not to break them with his grip. It was difficult with just one hand, but he could not stop. Could not. It was for them. It was for all of them. Not for those who left. But for those still fighting there. It was the only way to be able to fly away. It was the only way to be able to dream.

He continued to build.

That was your tree. A little boy's tree lost for too long. A little boy who fell many times until he was able to get up. And he knew, he knew he needed to finish. It was the only hope that somehow, he had been able to show what he had felt.

So, he tied the colors, turned on the lights. He took a small star from the sky, and made it shine on the stem of that tree. Sasuke smiled, because he didn't want to cry. He was building a dream, inside the blood that spilled. He turned his own demon into something magical. Perhaps that was what his brother expected him to do since he was very young. In the end, he was right, it was difficult to find himself in the dark.

So he needed stars.

It hurt. All the pains he ever felt were open in his chest. His hands were bleeding from trying to hold on to his memories for too long. Sasuke, for the first time, saw more than one path and, perhaps, knew he had chosen the right one. Everything was perfect, just like in his last Christmas alive. Everything was destroyed, just like Christmas, when he decided to get up and forget that his heart was still beating.

This time, everything was ready.

This time, he was ready.

"What are you doing there?" He heard someone scream, pulling him out of his daydreams.

Sasuke turned down, finding three figures staring at him. I didn't think they would have looked for him, maybe, just Naruto or Sakura. He sighed, rolling his eyes as he went down to approach the small group.

"It's none of your business." He grunted.

"Hey!" Shouted Naruto, while trying to attack him, in a childish way that Sasuke believed that only he was capable of doing.

He took a breath, mentally counting, in order not to lose his cool. Sasuke felt himself being watched, as if all his privacy had been invaded. A small blush warmed his cheeks enough to make it visible that he was embarrassed to have been seen while setting up his Christmas tree. Even so, everyone decided to ignore it.

"What are you doing here?" He asked aggressively.

“We came to get you! We were waiting for you for two hours! ” Explained Naturo. "You ungrateful!"

(“Foolish little brother.”)

"Hm."

Damn it, he didn't realize it had been so long since he left. I should have known better, so I wouldn't have to explain his disappearance to his ex-companions. Naruto watched him before turning his eyes away, and then Sasuke was sure his friend knew there was something wrong. Until, he noticed that Kakashi and Sakura looked at him as if he was seeing a solution to all his problems.

"You want help?" Asked her friend, calmly.

(“Do you want help with your exercises?”)

"No." A few seconds later ... "Thank you."

"How beautiful, our disgusted little puppy is learning new words for his limited vocabulary." Murmured Kakashi, with a small wry smile. "I'm so proud of you."

("This is my boy")

"Hm."

"What's it?!" Exclaimed Naruto.

Sasuke calmly took his bag, holding it tightly until he tossed it at his friend's feet. He gave Naruto a small wave to take it, revealing what she had in store. A small pointy object, with a golden and orange color, appearing to have been kept for a long time. Something flashed in everyone's eyes and, without realizing it, a measure of relief came from their lips.

"I want to put that star at the top of the tree." Muttered Sasuke, as he turned to face the sky.

"Can I know why?" Asked the professor sarcastically.

"Hm." Snorted.

The star passed into the hands of Sakura, who watched her carefully, looking attentive to every little detail she could hide. On the other hand, Naruto was looking at the tree that his friend had descended, seeming to realize at that moment all the balls hanging from the branches and the small shiny threads tied around the stem. His mouth opened in a small circle, making his arms rise.

"Hey! Are you making a Christmas tree ?! ” He asked.

"Yes, idiot." How could he miss something so obvious?

"Don't call me that, bastard!"

Kakashi looked up, looking too tired to wear his neck. He ignored the small fight that Naruto and Sasuke were starting and Sakura's sighs of irritation, focusing all his attention on the almost completely decorated tree in front of him. I had never seen anything like it. It was as if he were seeing the sky inside his mind, a way to see the ghosts of his past without having to dream.

“Is a tree...? It's beautiful...” He murmured.

A steady wind made her hair fly. A ghostly smile traveled over his mouth, disappearing like the air in his lungs. His eyes blinked at the same pace as the stars in the dark sky. Sasuke let that compliment wander in his mind until it was erased in a deep emptiness and all that really seemed to matter in his head was the gift.

"Why do you need help?" Sakura asked, approaching him slowly.

"I cannot place it alone."

("The star has to be placed with the family.")

The three seemed to understand what he had said, giving a nod. Naruto was the first to approach, handing the star over to his friend's only hand. Sakura clapped a hand on the Uchiha's shoulder, while giving a warm smile. Kakashi watched from a distance, trying not to show his feelings too much. Sasuke, closed his eyes, trying to accept the loving gestures he received.

Now, he understood.

Now, he could continue.

He looked into the eyes of his new brother, his best friend, the one who had never given up fighting for him and recognized him as a hero. He held the firm hands of the one who always loved him, the one who forgave him in the face of all his past and thanked her for her smiles. He felt the fabric of his father's figure when there was no one who fully understood him, the one who, with his mistakes, taught him to leave the past behind and saw his pride as the dream he had always wanted in his childhood that he lost.

There, they placed the star, the same star they had placed with Itachi and his parents. He had a family, he had a goal to live. A reason to remain himself. Perhaps, his soul was still broken. Broken with the time you wasted. With the longing that I had kept for many years. But now he thought he deserved to be happy. He deserved to move on and find his home.

The star shone even brighter than any other star in the sky. A small smile made his lips stronger than he could control. A warm feeling came over his heart and, for some reason, he felt no guilt for feeling that way. It was okay. After a long time, everything was fine.

He had already found his home.

...

Sasuke is 18 and Christmas is shining in his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for any typo! I hope you liked it! Thank for reading!


End file.
